14 Oct 2020, 10:17 pm
14 Oct 2020, 11:41 pm
Jetso wrote:
TimmyTurnerFan1 wrote:
Mountain Goat wrote:
You may find this post interesting on another site that I am on which has come up recently.
https://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/Forums/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=52186
https://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/Forums/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=52186
Thanks. I read some of it and learned a little more, including when yellow lights were introduced. Kind if reminds me of Germany too. The older German signals had just red lights that would blink although East Germany had different signals than West Germany. The East German signals had the light in the center of the crossbuck (the X-shaped sign) while the West German ones usually had lights above the crossbuck and surrounded by a black square background with a white border around the black and a red border around the white.
Now newer German signals have a red and a yellow light, neither of which flash but light steady. They're like traffic signals minus the green light! I do like those and the old West German signals, I don't like the East German signals all that much!
I do wish they did double-red flashing lights and put lights on their gate arms themselves like we do!We don't have yellow lights on our crossing signals in the U.S., although I do wonder if we should! But some of our Railroad Crossing Ahead signs, the round yellow sign with the black RXR (we use those instead of signs displaying a train symbol or gate symbol and regardless of whether the crossing is gated or not) have flashing yellow lights. They're hard to find though! Otherwise the lights at the crossings are completely red, and I'm just fine with that!
How about having traffic lights at railroad crossings like those at road intersections? How would that be? I think some railroad crossings have traffic lights.
I think that depends on what you mean by the traffic signals, and I only have two ideas
-1. Traffic lights used at crossings and as the warning devices themselves
-2. Traffic signals at intersections near railroad crossings
We do have some railroad crossings protected by traffic signals instead of or in addition to regular crossing signals, be it a regular crossing such as this one in Gouvernuer, New York, USA https://www.google.com/maps/@44.321385, ... 312!8i6656
Or traffic signals that protect railroad tracks running down a street/ street-running tracks (which I don't like at all!) This one is in Michigan City, Indiana, USA https://www.google.com/maps/@41.711565, ... 384!8i8192
This Street-Running crossing in Beaverton, Oregon, USA has traffic signals and traditional railroad crossing signals (this one also has gates) https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4889816 ... 384!8i8192 The overhead signals at this crossing are unusual and weird! Check out this intersection too https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4896055 ... 384!8i8192 And this one https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4880871 ... 312!8i6656
Now about the traffic signals that are at intersections near railroad crossings.
Not every intersection does this but there are some intersections that have the traffic signals flash red in all three or four directions or red and yellow (red for traffic crossing the tracks) whenever a train is passing through. Usually the railroad crossing signals activate first and the gates if present go down. After the gates are down, the traffic signals near the intersection stop their usual work and flash red or yellow, or as mentioned, all-red. Some railroad crossings here in Tucson function like that, like this one on Valencia Road and Nogales Highway https://www.google.com/maps/@32.1341409 ... 312!8i6656. Well, last time I saw which was back in 2008 the lights flashed red in all four directions, plus there were these lighted NO LEFT TURN signs for south-bound Nogales Highway that lit up when the crossing was activated.
I do find it fascinating when the traffic signals near the railroad crossings flash and I did artwork of something like that:
Same crossing and intersection but with the crossing gates off and the traffic signals functioning like normal (keep watching and you'll see the lights turn from red to green, then to yellow and back to red and it will repeat) :
I plan to make more like that, traffic signals near railroad crossings and they're flashing while the signals flash!
For more on traffic signals functioning near railroad crossings (Traffic Signal Preemption) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Level_cro ... preemption But if I was in charge, I'd have traffic signals flash all red or red/yellow at intersections next to railroad crossings, it's more entertaining that way! Or I suppose I could have the crossing lights activate, then have the light change to red for traffic paralleling the tracks and turn the lights green only for traffic crossing immediately after the tracks, (I'd also have a prior traffic signal before the crossing to keep traffic from crossing) and after sufficient time passes I'll change the light back to red. Then when the train comes, I'll have the traffic signals flash. But then what would I do if I had a Four-Quadrant Gate/Full-Barrier with Half-Barricades crossing, one where the exit gates go down a few seconds after the entry-way gates? I need to rethink this one!
Maybe before the crossing gates even activate, the traffic signals should change so that it's solid red in all directions (and right before the railroad tracks) except for traffic at the intersection immediately after the tracks and the lights facing that will be green, giving everyone time to clear the tracks and the intersection, especially long vehicles. And then have the crossing gates activate, during which the green lights will turn red again. And after all the gates are down, the traffic signals will flash! I want to make sure all the vehicles are off the tracks and the tracks are cleared before having the exit gates go down.
For more on Four-Quadrant gate crossings https://trains-and-locomotives.fandom.c ... rant_Gates, including photos from different countries.
15 Oct 2020, 12:30 am
15 Oct 2020, 5:43 am
Quote:
I think that depends on what you mean by the traffic signals, and I only have two ideas
-1. Traffic lights used at crossings and as the warning devices themselves
-2. Traffic signals at intersections near railroad crossings
We do have some railroad crossings protected by traffic signals instead of or in addition to regular crossing signals, be it a regular crossing such as this one in Gouvernuer, New York, USA https://www.google.com/maps/@44.321385, ... 312!8i6656
Or traffic signals that protect railroad tracks running down a street/ street-running tracks (which I don't like at all!) This one is in Michigan City, Indiana, USA https://www.google.com/maps/@41.711565, ... 384!8i8192
This Street-Running crossing in Beaverton, Oregon, USA has traffic signals and traditional railroad crossing signals (this one also has gates) https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4889816 ... 384!8i8192 The overhead signals at this crossing are unusual and weird! Check out this intersection too https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4896055 ... 384!8i8192 And this one https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4880871 ... 312!8i6656
Now about the traffic signals that are at intersections near railroad crossings.
Not every intersection does this but there are some intersections that have the traffic signals flash red in all three or four directions or red and yellow (red for traffic crossing the tracks) whenever a train is passing through. Usually the railroad crossing signals activate first and the gates if present go down. After the gates are down, the traffic signals near the intersection stop their usual work and flash red or yellow, or as mentioned, all-red. Some railroad crossings here in Tucson function like that, like this one on Valencia Road and Nogales Highway https://www.google.com/maps/@32.1341409 ... 312!8i6656. Well, last time I saw which was back in 2008 the lights flashed red in all four directions, plus there were these lighted NO LEFT TURN signs for south-bound Nogales Highway that lit up when the crossing was activated.
I do find it fascinating when the traffic signals near the railroad crossings flash and I did artwork of something like that:
Same crossing and intersection but with the crossing gates off and the traffic signals functioning like normal (keep watching and you'll see the lights turn from red to green, then to yellow and back to red and it will repeat) :
I plan to make more like that, traffic signals near railroad crossings and they're flashing while the signals flash!
For more on traffic signals functioning near railroad crossings (Traffic Signal Preemption) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Level_cro ... preemption But if I was in charge, I'd have traffic signals flash all red or red/yellow at intersections next to railroad crossings, it's more entertaining that way! Or I suppose I could have the crossing lights activate, then have the light change to red for traffic paralleling the tracks and turn the lights green only for traffic crossing immediately after the tracks, (I'd also have a prior traffic signal before the crossing to keep traffic from crossing) and after sufficient time passes I'll change the light back to red. Then when the train comes, I'll have the traffic signals flash. But then what would I do if I had a Four-Quadrant Gate/Full-Barrier with Half-Barricades crossing, one where the exit gates go down a few seconds after the entry-way gates? I need to rethink this one!
Maybe before the crossing gates even activate, the traffic signals should change so that it's solid red in all directions (and right before the railroad tracks) except for traffic at the intersection immediately after the tracks and the lights facing that will be green, giving everyone time to clear the tracks and the intersection, especially long vehicles. And then have the crossing gates activate, during which the green lights will turn red again. And after all the gates are down, the traffic signals will flash! I want to make sure all the vehicles are off the tracks and the tracks are cleared before having the exit gates go down.
For more on Four-Quadrant gate crossings https://trains-and-locomotives.fandom.c ... rant_Gates, including photos from different countries.
-1. Traffic lights used at crossings and as the warning devices themselves
-2. Traffic signals at intersections near railroad crossings
We do have some railroad crossings protected by traffic signals instead of or in addition to regular crossing signals, be it a regular crossing such as this one in Gouvernuer, New York, USA https://www.google.com/maps/@44.321385, ... 312!8i6656
Or traffic signals that protect railroad tracks running down a street/ street-running tracks (which I don't like at all!) This one is in Michigan City, Indiana, USA https://www.google.com/maps/@41.711565, ... 384!8i8192
This Street-Running crossing in Beaverton, Oregon, USA has traffic signals and traditional railroad crossing signals (this one also has gates) https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4889816 ... 384!8i8192 The overhead signals at this crossing are unusual and weird! Check out this intersection too https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4896055 ... 384!8i8192 And this one https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4880871 ... 312!8i6656
Now about the traffic signals that are at intersections near railroad crossings.
Not every intersection does this but there are some intersections that have the traffic signals flash red in all three or four directions or red and yellow (red for traffic crossing the tracks) whenever a train is passing through. Usually the railroad crossing signals activate first and the gates if present go down. After the gates are down, the traffic signals near the intersection stop their usual work and flash red or yellow, or as mentioned, all-red. Some railroad crossings here in Tucson function like that, like this one on Valencia Road and Nogales Highway https://www.google.com/maps/@32.1341409 ... 312!8i6656. Well, last time I saw which was back in 2008 the lights flashed red in all four directions, plus there were these lighted NO LEFT TURN signs for south-bound Nogales Highway that lit up when the crossing was activated.
I do find it fascinating when the traffic signals near the railroad crossings flash and I did artwork of something like that:
Same crossing and intersection but with the crossing gates off and the traffic signals functioning like normal (keep watching and you'll see the lights turn from red to green, then to yellow and back to red and it will repeat) :
I plan to make more like that, traffic signals near railroad crossings and they're flashing while the signals flash!
For more on traffic signals functioning near railroad crossings (Traffic Signal Preemption) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Level_cro ... preemption But if I was in charge, I'd have traffic signals flash all red or red/yellow at intersections next to railroad crossings, it's more entertaining that way! Or I suppose I could have the crossing lights activate, then have the light change to red for traffic paralleling the tracks and turn the lights green only for traffic crossing immediately after the tracks, (I'd also have a prior traffic signal before the crossing to keep traffic from crossing) and after sufficient time passes I'll change the light back to red. Then when the train comes, I'll have the traffic signals flash. But then what would I do if I had a Four-Quadrant Gate/Full-Barrier with Half-Barricades crossing, one where the exit gates go down a few seconds after the entry-way gates? I need to rethink this one!
Maybe before the crossing gates even activate, the traffic signals should change so that it's solid red in all directions (and right before the railroad tracks) except for traffic at the intersection immediately after the tracks and the lights facing that will be green, giving everyone time to clear the tracks and the intersection, especially long vehicles. And then have the crossing gates activate, during which the green lights will turn red again. And after all the gates are down, the traffic signals will flash! I want to make sure all the vehicles are off the tracks and the tracks are cleared before having the exit gates go down.
For more on Four-Quadrant gate crossings https://trains-and-locomotives.fandom.c ... rant_Gates, including photos from different countries.
Yes, street-running tracks are dangerous both for drivers and for pedestrians.
15 Oct 2020, 8:18 am
15 Oct 2020, 9:30 am
TimmyTurnerFan1 wrote:
Jetso wrote:
I like trains. I don't mind waiting for one. A lot of people are annoyed by it when there is a train coming at the crossing, but I like it when there is a train coming.
I don't mind either! In fact I would hate that I would go a day without seeing a railroad crossing in action or not being there when a train was crossing a crossing, especially a gated crossing, and especially when seeing railroad crossings was a rare opportunity for me! I would hate arriving too early or too late!
I also got upset when there was a train crossing but my stepfather refused to wait and would find another way across the tracks.
Imagine being upset for not watching a train go by, not to mention not being able to see the warning devices while they're in action! That was me, and can still be me! Most people would get upset about having to wait for a train, but some of us if not just me, are the opposite! And I'm sorry but I hate being deprived of railroad crossings! I know I can live without them and I know I can just watch them on video and I have toy railroad crossing signals, mostly HO scale, that actually light up, but still I want the real thing and in person, even if for just a few seconds, although the longer the better (sometimes it can get too long even for me!)
If there's a cure for love of railroad crossings, I don't want it! Same with the cure for autism!
So I think you and I are riding in the same boat, or rather train!
Something I would find annoying however is having to wait for a train that slows and stops before it gets passed the crossing. This happened to me once.
Also I wouldn't like having to wait at malfunction gates that are down with no approaching train. You're not supposed to drive around lowered gates even if there is a malfunction and no train is approaching. You are supposed to report the malfunctioning gates.
15 Oct 2020, 9:37 am
15 Oct 2020, 9:46 am
15 Oct 2020, 7:04 pm
15 Apr 2021, 4:41 am
15 Apr 2021, 5:35 pm
19 Apr 2021, 8:46 am
